Fields of Gold

Yesterday, was the Olympics ladies long program which gives me a heartache as I am a huge Michelle Kwan fan. When she earned the bronze medal in 2002, I felt so much disappointment as did much of the world.

I write from Southern California and she is a local girl. A friend of mine ate her family's restaurant and reported it is American styled Chinese food. Additionally, her training rink is about ten minutes from my home. There are huge pictures of her on the outside electronic billboard and many, many pictures and memorbilla inside the rink. It is a great addition to the area as there are no close by ice skating rinks.

There are many skating routines that I like, but Fields of Gold is one of my favorites as Michelle skated the exhibition performance beautifully after winning the bronze medal where she was the favorite to win the 2002 Olympic gold. Although she earned at bronze and silver Olympic medals, the Gold was elusive. However, during this performance, she carried on with grace, dignity, emotion and a good example of being a "good sport." The following is her Olympic Fields of Gold exhibition performance:

Michelle is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, Michelle Kwan has won an unprecedented 42 championships, including five World Championships (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003), eight consecutive and eight overall U.S. Championship titles, (1996, 1998-2005) and two Olympic medals (silver-1998, bronze-2002) .

In the nearly 100-year history of ladies figure skating, Michelle's five World titles and nine overall world medals (five gold, three silver, 1 bronze) in nine consecutive years (1996-2004) are all marks that have been bettered only by the immortal Sonja Henie of Norway (10 titles/11 medals/11 consecutive years) ... She is the only woman in figure skating history to reclaim the World title three times (1998, 2000, 2003) ... Kwan's eight consecutive U.S. Championship titles (1998-2005) and 12 consecutive U.S. Championship medals (1994-2005) are both U.S. records .

Her nine career U.S. titles tie the legendary Maribel Vinson, who won nine titles in the 1920s-30s; and her mark of 12 U.S. medals (9 gold, 3 silver) are the most in U.S. skating history ... In her career she has received 57 perfect 6.0 marks in major competitions, the most of any U.S. skater in history, and any singles skater ever ... She has been awarded at least one 6.0 in each of her last five U.S. Championships, a U.S. record ... Her winning long and short performances at the 1998 U.S. Championships, where she received 15 perfect 6.0 marks (out of a possible 18) for artistry over the course of the event, is the most by any skater in the history of U.S. Figure Skating.

In June 2009, she graduated with a bachelor's degree in international studies and a minor in political science. She then chose to pursue a graduate degree in international relations at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University

On November 9, 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice named Michelle Kwan as a public diplomacy ambassador. In this non-salaried position, Kwan will represent American values especially to young people and sports enthusiasts and is expected to travel widely. Kwan made her first overseas trip in the capacity of public diplomacy ambassador with a visit to China from January 17–January 25, 2007.

Michelle's diplomatic position as an Envoy has continued in the Barack Obama administration where she has worked with vice-president Joe Biden and Secretary-of-State Hillary Clinton.

The following is Michelle's 1998 National Championship performance.  It is one of the two skating performaces that has brought me to tears. This is my favorite competion skating performance.